


Their Lies in December

by deadly_tues_days



Category: Bleach
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Post-Winter War (Bleach), Visoreds, Vizards - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:34:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26703769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deadly_tues_days/pseuds/deadly_tues_days
Summary: Betrayal seemed to be all he ever experienced, yet Shinji couldn’t help but feel as if it was time to move on from blaming the Gotei Thirteen. Things needed to change in all three dimensions. Things needed to change, and as long as Kurosaki was at least half dead, change was bound to come about at some point. As long as the substitute retained his shinigami powers, the progressive state the Soul Society was put into after their apology to him, to the Vizards, was certain to continue. For Shinji, it was over. For Ichigo, life had just started, and that’s exactly what scared Hirako.
Relationships: Hirako Shinji & Kurosaki Ichigo
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	Their Lies in December

The skirmishes still hadn’t come to a complete halt. The war had ended, yet the hopelessness still clung to everyone’s skin, floating about the air of Hueco Mundo, and mimicking a disease as infectiously present as the sand. No matter what the hollow’s domain spat into Karakura, all the forces that were riled up by whatever emerged from Las Noches’ remnants, were aimlessly swinging their swords. Those who could think beyond primitive instincts had lost the madman who had given them their first taste of purpose, and were plunged into a life of turmoil, unable to harvest any other experiences aside from battles spurred on by what they were manipulated into believing the world was. There was no mourning by who was left, and in spite of that, the arrancar still couldn’t seem to move on, left wandering about their ruined home.

They were given a purpose that only ended up as another casualty of war. Ethereal guidance wasn’t to be heard of, so they clung to the mangled corpse of that reason, unwilling to give up the fight that had already been lost. Pandemonium broke out in Hueco Mundo, and an escape was needed. The perfect way out always seemed to be the World of the Living, where each hollow, and arrancar alike was met with a zanpakuto, and, eventually, death. Giving a hollow a brain, one that was used to free themselves from the chaos their home was consumed by, equivalent to that of a human’s required conditioning. Just one more luxury the quite oblivious arrancar weren’t offered, and didn’t know they needed. 

Shinji had received word from Ichigo that the Gotei Thirteen intended to send a team to ward off any further attacks by the leaderless arrancar. The substitute had taken to visiting the Vizards following his return from the Soul Society after the final battle, so, when the Head Captain appeared at their barrier instead of the substitute, Hirako was caught unprepared, but fostered no shock over the surprise appearance. It was bound to happen, and, once it did, the Vizards were allotted one week to make the decision to accept his apology. Yet the seemingly thought worthy process took less than a minute. Hiyori had voiced what they couldn’t accept.The old days weren’t coming back. Those days had been snatched away, and by the time the thief was convicted, it was far too late. Everything changed, everyone moved on, with little thought to what became of the accused captains, and lieutenants.

Hirako knew good, and well a similar occurrence would plague Kurosaki. Despite the discrimination against the hybrids being eliminated, Central Forty Six would most likely pass judgment with no input from the person whose life they intend to dictate. There was no doubt Ichigo knew of the overwhelmingly corrupt atmosphere seeing as he’d fought against the Soul Society, and their rules, including the ones not manipulated by Aizen. Friend or foe, some holier-than-thou judge would give orders, and it would be decided that there was no choice but to stand down, and obey.

Eventually word came that the judgement wasn’t set to be passed, and not due to a stalemate between two sides of the argument. Instead, it came when the substitute mouthed off about how his powers hadn’t left him. There was little evidence on how his one hit wonder of a technique would work, but Kisuke insisted that if Kurosaki’s reiryoku was to dissipate, it would have already done so, contradicting the original theoretical outcome. Ichigo would be spared trauma in one sense, yet Hirako worried he might never be exposed to the full extent of the truth. He couldn’t help but believe that there was always the chance that the substitute would become a criminal in the eyes of Central Forty Six. He couldn’t help but believe that there was always the chance history would repeat itself, Kurosaki being caught up in the process. He couldn’t help but believe that betrayal was around the corner.

The team never came, and Shinji’s worries morphed into reality. Despite the absence of the shinigami, word still got around, and it soon became apparent that the Gotei Thirteen concluded that with the Vizards lurking on the edge of town, the World of the Living was no longer their mess to clean up. Hollow after hollow, arrancar after arrancar, betrayal after betrayal, those in Karakura fought. Months later, and order still wasn’t to be found in Hueco Mundo, nor the current juureichi based on the battles that took place as everyone, but the Soul Society apparently, struggled to return to normal.

It truly was frustrating. The constant acts of betrayal. The cuts, and scrapes that littered his body for the first time in years. Hiyori complaining about being barred from fights. A hundred years, and Hirako still managed to feel as though nothing much had changed. Once again, they were victims of the Soul Society’s ignorance. Mere kids were looped back into the fight, and the time spent at the warehouse was typically filled with treating injuries, and nightmares, something the Vizards, excluding their newest member, had long since gotten over. Hundreds of years as constantly fighting as captains, and lieutenants did much for their brains, yet Ichigo was only sixteen. Practically a baby to those he considered friends, and family. An infant caught up in one of the worst paranormal disasters. Caught up in all the betrayal, lies, and agony simply because he was different. A hybrid targeted for his unique heritage, and excellent skill. Due to the Soul Society’s ignorance, he’d never live a normal life no matter how fitting Central Forty Six deemed it for a human.

Betrayal seemed to be all he ever experienced, yet Shinji couldn’t help but feel as if it was time to move on from blaming the Gotei Thirteen. Things needed to change in all three dimensions. Things needed to change, and as long as Kurosaki was at least half dead, change was bound to come about at some point. As long as the substitute retained his shinigami powers, the progressive state the Soul Society was put into after their apology to him, to the Vizards, was certain to continue. For Shinji, it was over. For Ichigo, life had just started, and that’s exactly what scared Hirako.

**Author's Note:**

> hmmm this was an old fic i wrote, but i think it worked thanks to Chaotic_Dreamer's lovely beta-ing. hope you all enjoyed! <3


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